Hello,
I'd like to inquire if there was any reason behind the statement in the USEtox manual that low-dose, slope factors can be used for carcinogenic effects. E.g. could epidemilogical data for cerebrovascular diseases be used using the same equation? I.e. ED50atj = 1/q(atj)*AFq, AFq=0.8.
Best, Sandra
For carcinogens, it is accepted that there is no low-dose threshold and a linear hypothesis is used for extrapolation to low-dose. In USEtox and all other current LCIA toxiciy characterization models the same linear hyposthesis to low-dose is assumed for non-cancer effects, whereas for such effects a margin of exposure is calculated in other assessment frameworks avoiding the use of any (linear or non-linear) dose-response.
If dose-response functions from epideimology are directly available, for e.g. cerebrovascular diseases, they can directly be used without assuming a ED50 based on linear extrapolation. This is currently done in LCIA for e.g. characterizing health effects from exposure to fine particulate matter.